Road Trip

Remember me? Remember I said I was helping a friend with something? Well, here’s how it all turned out.

Jake drove up from South Carolina and got here just after I got home from work on Thursday. He went up into the attic and brought down everything that they still had here. Some went into the trash and some was staged for the return trip. He spent the night and then we went and picked up the U-Haul truck and tow dolly he had reserved.

I had emailed my Brother Carl to let somebody know where I was going to be and he emailed me back asking if there was anything he could do for me. I replied, “Pray for rain.”

I had bought two HUGE feed and water stations for the cats (see photos) this time and they had four kitty litter boxes to use, so they should be okay

So, Jake loaded his car up and then we had to face putting the bike into the truck. Fortunately, my neighbor provided not only a 2x12 for a ramp, but also the muscle needed for him and Jake to push the bike up it (I could not have ever done that). We also loaded his grille, mountain bike, etc., etc., etc. Once everything was strapped in and snugged down, we put on the tow dolly.

And that’s when it started to rain, no, POUR! I decided I need to join a Greek Orthodox church or something, because when my brother Carl prays, God listens!

Jake was drenched to the skin, laying on two garbage bags and hooking up his car after trying several times to drive it up the wet ramps. I was standing there, drenched to the skin, but wearing a rain coat I belated remembered and put on.

My neighbor was dry and in his house, but to his credit, he had said he would not only watch my house while I was gone, but water the vegetable and herb gardens as necessary. Believe me, it was NOT necessary on Friday.

So, after double, then triple, checking everything was good with the house, the truck and the load (Jake is as paranoid as I am) we took off for Cleveland. We did stop once to check the car and the load. But, we drove through pouring rain (I mean, people were pulling under overpasses and waiting for it to ease off a bit) all the way to the hotel (which was not really in Cleveland) where we checked in. We had about one hour before the Kris Kristofferson concert (my Father’s Day present from Jake and Carla).

Jake decided it would be wise to take off the car and go in it as parking would be a problem (we learned in the hotel parking lot that the truck, plus the tow dolly and the car took up 2 1/2 parking spaces).

So, still in the rain, we took it off and then headed out to Kent State University. The concert itself wasn’t on campus but in an old movie theater in town, called the Kent State Auditorium. There was NO place to park! Thank God we didn’t take the truck!! We finally parked illegally and I hung up my handicapped sign and Jake put up his military one and we said to heck with it! We walked right by Kris’ tour bus and Jake took a picture of me. He also took a photo of Kris on stage, but you weren’t allowed to use a flash so it’s a bit hard to see (see photos).

Now, my son Jeremy was in a play in High School and the theater there was bigger and better laid out than this one. The lights were just hanging in front of the stage for example. But, it was the perfect venue for this. It was just Kris, one guitar, a harmonica holder around his neck and two different keyed harmonicas. Oh, and a mike and a bottle of water. Not even a stool!

It was magic!

He played a one hour set, took a break for 15 minutes and then another hour set with three encores. He sang every song I wanted him to sing and a few I’d never heard of. He told a few stories and made several jokes about getting old (like when he’d forget to switch to the other harmonica before the next song). The audience laughed and clapped (they were almost all just as old and screwed up as me, LOL!)

When the concert was done, it was after 10:00 PM and all the restaurants were closed. So, we settled on a Pizza Hut pizza that Jake went and picked up and we ate in the hotel room. Then we crashed.

When we got up and checked out, we again had fun trying to get the car back on the tow dolly because it was still pouring. This was really slowing us down and screwing with our timeline. We were supposed to stop and visit with my daughter Melissa, but I called her and said we’d try and make it another day.

One thing I hadn’t counted on was just how uncomfortable the seats in a U-Haul truck were. Even though I hadn’t loaded anything heavy (or really anything at all, come to think of it) my back was killing me even before we drove the next nine hours.

Of course we did have to stop for gas. Mostly we used the service plazas on the toll roads, but we had to park like a mile from the rest rooms (we took up too much room for the RV lot so we had to park with the big rigs). Also, we were told (and it was written right on the tow dolly) NOT to try and back up.

But one time we had to stop in West Virginia at a gas station off the expressway, next to a party store. What was weird was everyone who came to the party store had gray pants with three orange stripes on the legs! I decided either they were all coal miners, coming off their shift, or there was some sort of prison break we hadn’t heard about.

So, we finally arrived at Jake’s house. By that time, I was a wreck. Thankfully, Jake had set it up with Carla’s brother to unload. We took the truck back on Sunday. The remainder of the visit was a replay of my December one (minus the heating pad). I mostly sat or laid down, eating pain pills and/or anti-inflammatory ones, reading or watching TV. Carla went to work and Jake mostly worked upstairs.

I did get hooked on three new TV shows: The First 48, Great Lakes Warriors and Breaking Bad.

Carla made turkey tacos one night (Jake likes turkey ones because he says they’re less greasy) and I had her excellent meatloaf, mashed potatoes and sweet corn another time. I would have taken her meatloaf recipe but she said she just made it up as she went.

We did go to some close-by restaurants: a steak house, one that specialized in fish and a Japanese one. I thought they were all great, but I loved the Japanese one. I had Udon noodles for the first time. They were in a fantastic broth and came with a small but interesting salad and some fried tempura things (shrimp, fish and I think zucchini). The only downside was that its been several years since I had to eat with chopsticks (so my chops were a bit rusty) and they were served in a cast iron pot that never cooled down (so I kept burning my lips).

Oh, and Jake took me to breakfast where I tried a South Carolina Lexington County specialty: Onion sausage. It was big and fat and delicious with my eggs and grits.

I never did feel up to another long car ride, so I gave up and finally called Missy on Wednesday and left her a message that I was sorry, but I wouldn’t be coming this time. I admit, I felt bad and guilty but I really don’t think I could have made it.

Then it was Thursday and time to go home. Jake went by Carla’s work so we could say goodbye and then he dropped me off at the airport.

For some reason we sat on the tarmac a long time. But, I didn’t really mind as I had a very personable young lady sitting next to me. We chatted a bit and then when we finally took off, I read and she did crossword puzzles. But, every now and then she would look in the back for the word. Finally, I said, “That’s cheating, you know.” She said, “No, I’m just checking the spelling!” Then she blushed and said, “No, I’m cheating.” I laughed and went back to reading.

When we got to Charlotte, they had a wheelchair ready that they insisted I sit in (after I walked down the stairs of the plane, BTW) but it was a good thing they did. The took me in a cart and raced about 1/2 mile to the terminal I needed. I had a very aggressive woman driver who kept yelling “Please step aside!” rather than relying on the little annoying beep to move people.

I was the last one to board (and the other people glared at me) so my layover in Charlotte was eaten up by my tarmac time in Columbia.

I got in Detroit early (tailwinds or something – I couldn’t really hear or at least understand the pilot) so I got my bag and headed to the Metro Car counter. They had the car and driver (he was just a little younger than me and from Jamaica) ready so we went straight home.

On the way, I asked him if it had rained the past week and he said no. I thought, “Damn, there goes the grass and the other container gardens.” But, I was shocked when we pulled in! The grass was greener than when I left!

The cats stayed in hiding while I walked around, checking the house and talking to them. They finally emerged and begged for treats. It had been almost a week without them, so I happily complied.

I called Jake and Carl’s house to let them know I was home safe and then went out back (to even more green grass) and talked to the neighbors. He said he hadn’t watered any gardens (even his) since I left because they were still damp from last weekend’s rain. He said he planned on watering on Friday. I thanked him for watching the house and went back inside. Before I did, I checked the rain gauge and there was almost two inches of water still inside it! Man, Carl can really pray!!

But, I still watered the back garden and the raised herb bed. Then I watered the garden around the reflecting pool. I left everything out to water the front yard and the vegetable garden on Saturday morning.

I wasn’t really hungry, but I made myself eat a chicken potpie and took my night medications. I briefly looked at the TV, but shut it off and went to sleep.